What to start indoors and outdoors 8 weeks before last frost

Aerogarden seed starting system

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Countdown to spring is underway for many gardeners that start their favorite edible veggies and fruits indoors, planting outside when the conditions are right.  It is 8 weeks before the last spring frost in my zone, Zone 7.  Here are the edibles that can be started from seed 8 weeks prior to your last frost.  

    You can start indoors any vegetable, fruit or flower that the seed packet says can be started indoors 8-12 weeks before your last frost date right now in our area.  The reason seed packets share the longest time from starting seed to your last frost date is that the seedlings will get weak and leggy and many will die if you start them too soon indoors and they have to be kept indoors for an extended period of time.  So, right now it is less than 8 weeks from the last spring frost date in my area.  I can start seeds indoors for any plant that has a start date of 8 weeks or longer until the last frost date around these parts.

Frost date look up

You can even start seeds indoors after all chance of frost is over, just to keep a close eye on your seedlings as they sprout and grow out their second set of leaves.  Any time after their second set of leaves, you have a high chance of the seedling doing well after transplanting if you have hardened it off well. 

"Hardening off" seedlings

Indoor seed starting 8 weeks prior to last frost

Artichokes  Growing artichokes and cardoons

Arugula  Growing fabulous lettuce and greens

Bay  Start a kitchen herb garden!

Bee balm

Broccoli  How to grow broccoli and cauliflower

Cabbage  Cabbage is nutritious and easy to grow

Catnip

Celeriac

Celery  Give celery a try, an easy to grow garden staple

Chives  Add chives to your garden

Eggplant  Eggplant-add this native from India to your garden

Endive 

Escarole

Fennel  Growing fennel

Fenu

Horseradish

Kale  Collards and kale in your garden

Kohlrabi  Kohlrabi-a less well known spring vegetable

Lavender  Using herbs, flowers and fruit for flavored sugars and salts

Leek, if starting from seed

Lettuce  Everything you need to know about growing lettuce

Lovage

Mache

Marjoram

Mint

Mizuna

Mustard  Mustard greens

Onions, if starting from seed  Everything to know about growing onions

Oregano

Parsley  Self-seeding crops, plant once and forget 'em

Peas  Time to plant peas!

Rhubarb

Rosemary  Make your own "Herbes de Provence"

Scallions, if starting from seed

Shallots, if starting from seed  

Spinach  Grow spinach-a super nutritious, easy green

Strawberries  Back yard strawberries

Summer savory  

Sorrel  Want a vegetable and fruit garden that you only have to plant once? Try perennials!

Thyme

Turnips  All about turnips

Outdoor seed starting/transplanting

There are even some seeds and plants that can be started outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked. 

Asparagus crowns

Fava bean seeds

Fruit bushes and trees

Spring garlic cloves

Grapevines

Mache seeds

Pea seeds

Spinach seeds

Shallot cloves